Political Quotes

“Thank you, Mr. President. I rise in support of the Food and Drug Administration Reauthorization Act that we are now considering. Let me begin by commending Chairman Alexander and Ranking Member Murray of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee for their leadership in bringing this important legislation to the Senate floor. This bill is the product of bipartisan, bicameral work and is proof that we can make progress when we work together on the areas where we can find agreement. FDA user fees, which are reauthorized under this bill, are critical to moving the most advanced research from a promise to a cure and ensuring that new treatments reach patients in need. User fees, where companies fund a portion of the premarket review of their products, account for more than one-quarter of all FDA funding. Yet the FDA's authority to collect these fees will expire at the end of next month unless Congress acts, thus the urgency of getting this bill across the finish line. That is why it is imperative that we advance this bill now and ensure that work on these promising new pharmaceuticals continues uninterrupted. In May, the HELP Committee, on which I am pleased to serve, overwhelmingly approved bipartisan legislation to extend and reauthorize the FDA fees in order to support the public health of our Nation. The bill before us also incorporates many provisions that were advanced by individual Committee Members.…”